BIG FIRE IN TIMARU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 40, 6 February 1908, Page 2

BIG FIRE IN TIMARU.

A LARGE BUjLijiMl GUTTED. ( LOSSES BETWEEN £70,000 AND £BO,OOO. I'er Press Association. Timam, Last Xight. The biggest. lire iu Timaru since 1808 broke out ut 5.40 this afternoon in the tuw.il retail house of the Farmers' Cooperative Association, a large brick building facing l!e»\vick-street am! | Ktrathatlen-sU'ce'c. I When first seen the fire had a hoid in iup linoleum anil carpet room on tlm iirst door, and spread with great rapidity into the drapery department adjoining. It wan apparent that'.X had a great hold. The Iluor was crammed with drapery and suchlike inflammable material. In a vory short lime both the town and railway lire brigades had twelve leads of hnse going, but it was soon seen that the large building and its valuable contents were doomed. The live burnt tiorcely for two hours, and practically only the bare walls were left standing at 8 p.m. It presented a magnificent* sight when the lire was at its height, and Die explosions of cartridges and dynamite in tue building created repeat, ed panics among the dense crowds of people looking on. Fortunately the building stands slightly apart from the lioyal lintel and r.eid ami Gray's warehouse. and as the weather was calm, (lie brigades had no difficulty in saving the adjoining premises, there being a splendid supply of water. The books of the farmers' Co-opera-tive Association were saved, and also groceries, etc., Iml, practically speaking, a clean sweep was made. The loss is estimated at £70,000 to £BO,OOO. There is an insurance of £45,500 on the sto;k and fittings and £'15,000 on the offices in the offices of the lioyal Alliance, Ne.v Zealand. Phoenix, Tioval Exchange, Nit |on a I "Farmers" Cooperative, Norwich I nion. Stiindanl. Northern Assurance. North llrifisli, (Jneensland. and .South ; flritish.